Top Albania Tours & Vacations 2024/2025 [reviews & photos]

Albania Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

40 Albania trips. Compare tour itineraries from 13 tour companies. 401 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.

Small Group Albania Tours

See all 17 Albania trips
See all 40 Albania trips

Top Albania Attractions & Experiences

Top Albania Experiences

  • The thrill of hiking through Divjake Karasvasta National Park.
  • Swimming through the aquamarine waters of Karasvasta Lagoon
  • Shopping through the UNESCO World Heritage town of Berat
  • Enjoying the Mediterranean sunset as you ride the cable car in Tirana
  • Relaxing on the sunny beaches of the Albanian Riviera

Albania Tours & Travel Guide

Albania Attractions & Landmarks Guide

Why Visit Albania on a Tour?

Much of Albania is underdeveloped. The civil wars in the 1990s and the fall of Communism left much of the roads in disrepair. Also, there is little to no public transportation system. It can be difficult booking bus tickets from city to city because of the lack of structure and most Albanians only speak their native language.

However, there is much to see in Albania. Albania is rich in history, towering mountains, and beaches that rival the French Riviera. Visiting Albania on a tour is the best way to see all of these. Tours to Albania offer you the chance to explore this small, but special country and its unknown areas with detailed itineraries and ease.

Albania Souvenirs

If you are a quirky souvenir collector, Albania is your dream destination. Albania has some of the most unique and country specific souvenirs in the world. Just make sure to leave enough room in your suitcase!

  • Skenderbeau Paintings and Artwork: These unique pieces of art are only found in Albania and are portraits and portrayals of the Albanian national hero who led the rebellion against the Ottoman Turks in the 1400s.
  • Bunker Ashtrays: Throughout Albania you will found over 170,000 bunkers. These bunkers were built during the rule of Enver Hoxha to protect against foreign threats. The bunkers are no longer in use, but you can buy ashtrays designed like these domed concrete structures.
  • Cifteli Instruments: Ciftelis are a traditional instrument of Albania. Reminiscent of a guitar, the cifteli is a string instrument with only two strings and is used in many weddings and concerts in Albania.
  • Qilim or Kilim: These are traditional rugs of Albania. Historically designed in reds, blacks, and whites in geometric patterns, qilims can be purchased in stalls throughout the old towns and cities of Albania.  

Albanian Cuisine

Albanian cuisine has its basics in the Ottoman Empire and the Mediterranean. Traditional cooking styles of salted and grilled meats date back to Ottoman rule. Heavy stews, soups, and stuffed pies are also common dishes throughout the country.

With Albania sharing a border with Greece, much of Greece’s ingredients have made their way into Albanian food. Cucumbers, feta, peppers, and eggplants are a frequenter to Albanian tables and menus.

Vegetarian travelers to Albania will likely be relegated to salads, but the food will be good because Albanian produce is always fresh.

Top Albanian Tour Activities

1. Cable car in Tirana

Albania’s capital city of Tirana sits at the base of Mount Dajti. While visitors can hike their way up to the top of the mountain and back down, you can also take the cable car up and enjoy the Tirana landscape before taking in the sunset at the restaurant at the top of the mountain.

2. Relax on the beaches

Albania has miles of beaches that rival those of the French Riviera. These white, sandy beaches and teal waters are the perfect place to rest your weary feet and enjoy the warm Adriatic Sea weather. You can visit the popular beaches, or walk a little off the beaten path and discover the countless hidden beaches Albania has to offer.

3. Berat

“The City of a Thousand Windows” is a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Albania. A short day trip from Tirana, this historic city gets its name from the architecture of the buildings. Most of the homes and buildings of Berat feature multiple rectangular windows on their facades.

4. Rozafa Castle

Rozafa Castle sits on a hill outside of the northern Albania town of Shkodra. The castle has a sad, but important myth and has withstood multiple sieges throughout the years.

Albania National Parks

One of the top things to do in Albania is to visit the country’s vast national park system. Albania has 15 national parks spanning over 520,000 acres. The parks include natural lands, archaeological parks, and marine reserves.

Albania has four major ecosystems: Dinaric Alpine, Balcanic, Pindus Mountain, and Illyrian deciduous. The national parks are spread out over each of these different natural regions of Albania.

Butrint National Park is one of the most famous of Albania’s national parks. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this archaeological park was abandoned in the late Middle Ages and is home to ruins from the occupation of the Greeks, Romans, and Venetians.

Two of the natural parks visitors must see are the Divjake Karavasta and Karabarun Sazan national parks. Divjake Karasvasta is home to the Karasvasta Lagoon, the largest lagoon in Albania and Karabarun is a recently opened marine park that was formerly a military area and sits on an almost untouched peninsula.

Albanian Cities

While Albania is widely known for its natural landscapes, the cities are just as unique and beautiful. A few of the cities included on Albanian tours are:

1. Tirana

The colorful capital of Albania is the epicenter for the future of Albania. With an influx of consumerism, pedestrian streets, and forward thinking city planning, Tirana represents the future of where Albania can go, while holding strong to its past.

2. Berat

Berat is famous for its Ottoman architecture and distinct homes. Throughout the city you can fine perfectly, preserved traditional Ottoman archways and structures and you won’t be able to turn a corner in the city without running into a Byzantine church.

3. Shkodra

This northern Albanian city sits on the lake of the same name. Shkodra is one of Albania’s oldest cities and is famous for its relaxed atmosphere and Rozafa Castle, an Illyrian castle built on a hill overlooking the city.

4. Saranda

Saranda is the center for the Albanian Riviera. Visitors can enjoy the day relaxing at the many beaches or cafes lining the waterfront or visit the local hill, Lekuresi, for sunset. Saranda is also one of the closest Albanian cities to Greece and is only a short ferry ride from the Greek island of Corfu.

Albania Reviews & Ratings

4.8/5  Excellent
401  Reviews
See all Albania tour reviews
Excellent
178
Great
32
Average
4
Disappointing
2
Terrible
1
T

Trusted Customer

Nov 2023

Written on

Highlights of Albania

This trip has a very busy itinerary (moving every night) which allowed us to see a lot within a short time. The mountainous sceneries were breath taking and the citi...

X

Xerxes

Nov 2023

Written on

Highlights of Albania

The variety of things that we saw and did - and the feeling that ...

D

Doi Mei Vivian

Nov 2023

Written on

Highlights of Albania

Good coverage of major scenic destinations of Albania's lower half. Suggest to extend to 14 days to allow more free time to explore. Excellent Guide and good driv...

Write a Review

Traveling to Albania, an FAQ

1. Does Travelstride have all the tour operators?

Travelstride has the widest selection of tours and tour companies. All the largest companies are on the site and most smaller local operators though we are adding new operators daily. Unlike other websites and agencies, we show you all the options, regardless of whether or not we are paid by the company.

2. How does the Member Savings program save me money?

Travelstride membership is absolutely free. You receive special benefits including saving up to $700 on select tours with top tour operators. The main requirement is to write a review after your trip to access the savings.

3. Can I trust the tour operator and trip reviews on Travelstride?

Yes. Travelstride has both expert reviews, written by Travelstride staff and local experts as well as traveler reviews written by people like you who have used the company and traveled to that destination.

4. What does ‘Stride Preferred’ mean?

Stride Preferred and Stride Premier are status categories to help you sort quickly through known and reliable travel companies. Since there are thousands of tour operators around the globe, Preferred or Premier badges are awarded to companies that Travelstride has determined meet the highest standards of professionalism, customer satisfaction, and quality.